Hayato was not pleased by the career choice of his cousin. Learning that his contacts didn't know much about this CCG, that it was too independent to have Yakuza watchers and minders, that for ignoring their business it kept a too independent and tightlipped office, and protected itself too fiercely for any family to get any ins. The family that controlled it, the Washuu, did nothing else at all. Its personal semi military force was more of an army then police, set for war on ghouls, and its members much better protected then usual cops, as well as considered much more important by the government. Learning that the Bosses that did try to act against it or have influence over it tended to get attacked by ghouls much more was a surprise, an unpleasant one-intimidating ghoul was laughable idea, and the normal weapons would be useless against them, while the special anti-ghoul weapons were extremely rare and expansive, and very hard to get. CCG was hard to smuggle it from.
He had little choice but to seek answers elsewhere. This direction to finding what happened to Hideyoshi revealed that the little bastard was part of a major anti ghoul operation, and disappeared during it, is body missing, presumed picked up as snack by a ghoul.
'Though why would you be at the center of the action? You're more mastermind material anyway.'
It was soon confirmed, that his cousin was one of the planners, and wasn't supposed to be in the thick of things, and that he was NOT where he was supposed to be.
Learning that the young Nagachika was all friendly and liked was not a surprise-his cousin proved to be very charming when he wanted, when he was little. Quite the junior conman.
And to think, despite prominent yakuza bosses failing to leash the Commission of Counter Ghoul, he got this information from having someone owning him a favor charm a secretary.
Still Gakudera Hayato prided himself on being thorough, so he took a look on the ghoul cops and when another punk accrued a debt to him later that day-for not beating him up, he put him as a set of eyes to watch as well. Going as far as promising to pay if the idiot sees or hears something and keeps his mouth shut about it all.
As he went to his hideout at the end of the day, he did not notice the suspicious eyes following him.
Learning Hideyoshi seemed to really end up ghoul snack was a low blow.
Hayato used to coach the kid to steal his mother's sweets and pretend to be innocent, for a share of them, entertain the kid with stories of his first heists, introduced him to a few low key conmen and 'younger brothers', and half playing half training the tyke to be a good pawn in future jobs.
He worked meticulously to ensure innocent, unquestioning trust in himself, and…
If all that work went to nothing… if the last decade will have been for nothing…
The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and went for the sake bottle.
After a brief thought, another bottle was withdrawn. He was going to need it all that night.
Getting personal information on his cousin was much easier in comparison-the school and university data was irrelevant, and there was little of use. None of the friends the brat was said to have seemed to know anything either-though they seemed skeptic about Hideyoshi having a cousin, so he couldn't be sure, and decided not to risk an interrogation, yet.
Gakudera sneaked into the place the brat apparently lived at- a place in a nice neighborhood in the 20th ward-the same ward the boy was last seen, and went missing. He searched it for hours, as thoroughly as he could. Multiple times.
It was a messy bachelor apartment, with nothing in it.
Passing by the ruins of the Ghoul Café that was the place the ghoul cops were staking gave him nothing, except the shivers.
The next few days were boring, and lonely… especially after prison, but he declined to get a Call Girl. He was keeping low profile now.
Gakudera was ready to admit defeat, that stupid Hideyoshi was now probably a shit, digested by a ghoul, when he got a tip about a man of very similar appearance being seen.
"A man like the one in the picture you showed, but with stubble, almost a beard…"
Mulling over it, and the details, Hayato put his hands in his pockets, one holding his wallet, the other a switchblade.
A certain punk got what he deserved for informing him.
The revelation led him to a neighborhood far from the 20th ward, and into a cheaper area.
One closer to the streets ghouls were said to frequent, and street people avoided.
It was only due to him knowing some people that knew some people… and the fact the the people he talked to recognized kindred spirit and knew he was no cop , that he ended up with a probable address.
From there it was simple to ask around about a cousin that moved in without informing him of changed address until he got pointed to possible residence.
When an unfamiliar brown haired guy, that could not yet be out of his late teens, 18-19 tops, answered the door. Hayato was displeased to say the least.
Still, if there was even the slightest chance that this was not a dead end. That 'yoshi was there, he had to try.
Too much hinged on it.
Fortunately before the nerd pissed him off, or pissed himself with the way he seemed to tense, a familiar form peaked.
Hideyoshi was alive and here!
Getting him to share his hideout-which was better the motel room Gakudera had occupied, was work in progress- if any other roommates came and had problems with him staying there, the bitches will learn to keep it to themselves fast.
"Now, Hideyoshi-chan, Do ya remember, that before the pigs arrested me, about ten years ago, I gave you a special gift to keep safe for me? Now where is it?"
Author Notes: First, sorry for the delay, I had serious RL issues in the family.
This chapter is entirely the perspective of the Cousin of Hide. What do you think of him? How did I portray him here?
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